Saturday afternoon, Portland Police responded to Southwest 10th and Washington where a man in a mental health crisis was climbing a construction crane.
When officers arrived, they observed a man who had climbed an eight story crane which was on top of a ten story high rise building. With help from officers assigned to PPB'S Air Support Unit, they were able to get a better visual of the man, who was moving to different parts of the crane.
With extremely limited staffing due to the ongoing demonstrations, officers began to develop a response plan to bring the man to safety. Without warning, the man threw a rope over the edge of the crane and began to fast rope down the outside of the crane structure. The rope ended nearly four stories higher than the high rise building's roof.
With coordination from the Portland Fire Bureau's Rope Rescue team, officers and firefighters went up the crane stairway in an attempt to bring the man to safety. Officers were able to communicate with the man in crisis, while coordinating efforts with the PFB.
The man was transported on a medical hold to an area hospital. The man is not being charged with a crime at this time and therefore will not be identified.
The Portland Police Bureau goes to great lengths to provide interagency response and assistance to community members in crisis.
Help is available for community members struggling from a mental health crisis and/or suicidal thoughts. Suicide is preventable.
The Multnomah County Mental Health Call Center is available 24 hours a day at 503-988-4888.
If you or someone you know is in mental health crisis please visit Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare's Urgent Walk-In Clinic. The clinic is located at 4212 SE Division and is open from 7am to 10:30pm, 7 days a week. Services are free and available to individuals of all ages.
Lines for Life is also available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Information about the Portland Police Bureau's Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) and additional resources can be found by visiting http://portlandoregon.gov/police/bhu